People Who Cheat Expats

[arlean]

Right, the woman wasn´t even Argentine. She is Colombian but claims she has a job here in Buenos Aires and that the tours are extracurricular. I found her posting on another expat forum.

About landlords cheating, after I sold my house in the U.S. I rented several places. I always leave the place spotless and In every single case the landlord tried to keep my deposit. And that is not South America. I was warned by an honest friend who owned a large apartment building there that this is a "profit center" for landlords there. Well one thing that is great for me, right out of high school I worked for lawyers. I learned a LOT.

I always record everything in the apartment, even nail holes in the wall, dirty pans under the burners on the stove--anything--and have them sign it. I have been ridiculed for it but I leave them a copy and I keep a copy. In every case I have had to write them and say "please check your files and return my deposit in 10 days or we would tell it to the judge. in every case I got the deposit immediately.

So here I not only recorded it all but I took photos. It was PAGES. The poor woman patiently signed every page and made copies. We will see what happens when I get ready to leave. Now can you guys believe anybody this careful actually gave a Colombian she had never seen before $40.00 for a walking tour? DUH! I think what threw me off was that I found her on an expat forum. But my red flags went up when I read Nikad´s post. So I messaged her since she didn´t want to post the name and sure enough. It´s the same. Claudia probably doesn´t want a street-smart Argentine. Hehehe She wants one of those stupid Americans that hand over their $40.00!

 

[ajoknoblauch]

I beg to differ. The Jesuits taught me to reason. Religion classes were focused on discussion with lots of give-and-take and discussion of ethics and the reasoning behind it.

Reason enriches our lives. Religion impoverishes them.

 

[Jaredberryman]

You have to separate what happens in BsAs from the provinces.

In Mendoza I have paid seña many times, often about 50 percent, a few times the entire amount, so I could just pick up whatever I have bought or have it brought to my home.

When I have paid the seña the owner or shop attendant has always given me a receipt where it says

Price xxx
Seña -yyy
Saldo zzz

I have never - not even once - been cheated after paying a seña.

BTW: Several Mendocinos have said to me that they ought to build a Berlin Wall around BsAs to keep the vermin out of the country

I'm certainly glad you've never been cheated. However, you will forgive me if I think your claim that Mendocinos are somehow more honest than Porteños is entirely true...

 

[John.St]

I'm certainly glad you've never been cheated. However, you will forgive me if I think your claim that Mendocinos are somehow more honest than Porteños is entirely true...

I have a hunch that you forgot a 'not', so it should read "is not entirely true"?

4 years of experience has tought me that they are. I once paid a seña of AR$ 1,200 - no problems, and I have had a shop owner running out into the street to hand me 10 pesos she had inadvertently overcharged.

 

[Mano Negra]

You have to separate what happens in BsAs from the provinces.

In Mendoza I have paid seña many times, often about 50 percent, a few times the entire amount, so I could just pick up whatever I have bought or have it brought to my home.

When I have paid the seña the owner or shop attendant has always given me a receipt where it says

Price xxx
Seña -yyy
Saldo zzz

I have never - not even once - been cheated after paying a seña.

BTW: Several Mendocinos have said to me that they ought to build a Berlin Wall around BsAs to keep the vermin out of the country

I have never been cheated here in 16 years (other than a couple of pathetic taxi driver attempts) and have recently paid señas for 100's of thousands of peso to umpteen different suppliers for my building work. No problem so far. I really do not find there is any more dishonesty here than anywhere else. Then again I worked in financial markets. Maybe people don't notice when its all sanitised in the small print!!!

 

[Hybrid Ambassador]

Yes, all that was explained to me in the beginning. After my two years were up, I met with the owner who said he just bought the apartment that I rented from a rental agency. And that he didn't get my deposit money when he bought the apartment and was therefore not giving me back my deposit.

Joe-San, then you were barking at the wrong tree.! If the now landlord, just purchased the apartment from the previous owner, and I believe the new owner bought the place, not your old tenant agreement right.? So you had to go collect your deposits and fees from the rental agency who rented you the place, not the new owner.

 

[webmistress]

I have to share this to make you laugh. I was marrying an Englishman and was supposed to plan our honeymoon to France.
In THE TIMES, I found an advert of an ancient chalet, in a quiet place near vineyards. Sounded perfect. The elderly woman
came to the flat, told me there is never any noise in that place and that it would be very quiet and peaceful. I paid for 2 weeks.

When we arrived there, it was literally a barn, with straw on the floor for a bed. It was adjoining another residence. No fridge, nothing.
You could not use the toilet between 22.00 - 7.00 because it would disturb them. What a shock!

To make matters worse, the day after we arrived, a small travelling fair with circus rides and noise from morning til after midnite
moved in just underneath our window! Imagine having those whistles and loud carnival noises all the day long.

We just got in the car and travelled through the Pyrennees, staying in fantastic auberges the entire two weeks. Money lost,
but we had a great time! "Taken" by an old woman in Jolly Old England!" I wrote to THE TIMES to complain, but never had
a reply.

 

[Gringoboy]

No hay mal que por bien no venga.

 

[WindyCityJames]

Change on a purchase. Example: something costs 24.25 AR$ and you hand them 30 AR$. They give you 5AR$. This happens a lot when I am with my English speaking/non-Spanish speaking friends. It is at that point that I say, "We will wait while you find the 0.75." I always get that look of surprise and sure enough, they find the 0.75.

 

[Ceviche]

I have been cheated by Americans a few times in BA.